BSEE, DOE Collaborating on Offshore R&D

The agencies' memorandum of collaboration continues their work to make oil and gas exploration safer and more environmentally sustainable, officials said.

Aug 26, 2013

Officials from the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement and the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Fossil Energy signed a Memorandum of Collaboration last week that will coordinate their ongoing efforts on offshore research and technological improvement projects.

"This memorandum of collaboration will ensure that the ongoing activities of our two agencies will continue to be appropriately coordinated," said outgoing BSEE Director James Watson. "We will continue to prevent duplication and increase the effectiveness of our ability to create a regulatory environment that fosters the safe and responsible development of the nation's energy resources."

DOE Assistant Secretary Christopher Smith said the agreement "will help ensure that research and development executed by the Department of Energy is directly relevant to BSEE's regulatory challenges. This is research that makes offshore oil and gas operations safer and environmentally sustainable while promoting our nation's energy security."

Quarterly meetings are planned, and the agencies will produce an annual progress report.